CASEY
Casey is a surname with roots in both the Irish and English traditions of the British Isles. The name appears in historic records from the 16th century onwards and has been associated with a number of prominent families in Ireland.
In the Gaelic tradition it is an Anglicised form of Ó Cathasaigh, where the prefix Ó denotes male descendant of. The personal name Cathasach is derived from the word cathasach, meaning vigilant or watchful. Consequently, bearers of the surname are thought to have carried qualities of vigilance and watchfulness. An alternate derivation from the Old English word cæg, meaning key, suggests a possible occupational origin as a locksmith or as someone entrusted with authority.
Historically the name was carried by several distinct septs in Ireland. The most influential were the erenaghs of Devenish in County Fermanagh, who held church property across generations. A Mac sept existed in County Monaghan, and three bishops named Mac Casey served the see of Clogher in the 14th century. Another prominent family were Lords of the Suaithni, the barony of Balrothery West in County Dublin, while erenaghs of Clondara in the barony of Athlone, County Roscommon, also bore the name. In Munster the Dalcassian septs were situated at Liscannon in County Limerick and near Mitchelstown in County Cork, and today the surname remains most common in these counties.
A notable individual bearing the name was John Keegan Casey (1846‑1870), a Fenian and Gaelic poet whose work contributed to the cultural revival of Irish nationalism.
The earliest documented spelling of the family name appears in a marriage record dated 18 April 1569: Johane Casey married Thomas Nowell at St. Gregory by St. Paul’s in London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Typical given names associated with the Casey surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Casey in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 15,277 people named Casey in the UK. That makes it the 576th most common surname in Britain. Around 235 in a million people in Britain are named Casey.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Casey
- Natalie Casey - Actress
- Daniel Casey - Actor
- Anna-Jane Casey - Actor and singer
- Paul Casey - Golfer
- Howie Casey - Musician
- Jayne Casey - Singer
- Maurice Casey - Theologian (1942 to 2014)
- James Casey - BBC radio producer, scriptwriter (1922 to 2011)
- Matthew Casey - Football player
- Tommy Casey - Northern Irish football player (1930 to 2009)
- Thomas Worrall Casey - Politician (1869 to 1949)
- Len Casey - Rugby league football player and coach
- Hugh Casey - Politician (1927 to 2013)
- Gerry Casey - Football player (1941 to 2019)
- Len Casey - Football player
- Juanita Casey - (1925 to 2012)
- Jim Casey - Football player
- Ryan Casey - Irish football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.